23 mafia-style gang members stand trial in Guangdong

Twenty-three members of a mafia-style gang stood trial on Wednesday on multiple charges in a court in south China's Guangdong Province.

Maoming Intermediate People's Court accused the gang leader Li Guoqiang and 22 others of organizing, leading or participating in a mafia-style gang.

Li, 36, made his fortune by running gambling houses,blackmail and loan sharking. Between 1998 and 2013, he organized some murders, assaults, kidnappings and robberies in Dianbai County and Guangzhou, the provincial capital, said the prosecution.

The criminal activities left two people dead and 13 injured with five in a serious condition. In April 2013, Li ordered gang members to attack Shao Zhencai, a local political advisor and his brother Shao Zhenfeng over business disputes, leaving the brothers seriously injured.

In 2004, the gang gunned down two people in separate cases.

The trial is expected to last three days.